An epidemiological survey of neonatal sepsis in a hospital in Western Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined occurrence of bacterial pathogens associated with neonatal sepsis in a hospital setting. A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out on neonates with sepsis who were admitted to the neonatal ward of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria over a six-month period. One hundred samples for microbiological evaluation were collected from the neonates excluding those on prior antibiotic therapy. Microbiological examination and analysis of a variety of samples, processed according to standard procedures for isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic sensitivity testing, was carried out on bacterial isolates. Among the 100 samples collected and processed, Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 28%, Klebsiella and Pseudomonas species 13% each, Proteus species 10%, other Enterobacteriaciae 9%, Neisseria gonorrhoea 8%, beta-haemolytic Streptococcus 5 and 14% showed no bacterial growth. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the bacterial isolates showed that most were sensitive to oxfloxacin. However, a significant number of them showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin and penicillin. Bacterial pathogens in neonates with sepsis vary from Gram-positive bacteria, mostly S. aureus to Gram-negative bacilli, mainly Klebsiella and Pseudomonas species. Improvement in hygienic practices in both the wards and nurseries is required to reduce mortality rate in the hospital.